Leading readers in the wrong direction

I very rarely comment on article in the Times-Democrat other than in the editorial section. I love this paper.

But I found your article on Friday very irresponsible (“Lead from shotgun pellets is poisoning area bald eagles”).

First of all, I am not a biologist. However, I grew up along the Mississippi River in Illinois when the eagle population was decimated almost to extinction due to DDT.

After returning from Vietnam, I went to college back in the area and saw the eagle population rebound in a very active hunting area.

Did you ask Randy Huwa and Ed Clark if the veterinary staff did a detailed animal autopsy on each of the deceased birds?

Eagles are not scavengers. They are birds of prey; they like their food alive before they eat it.

I might consider a few eagles ingesting lead fragments from live field mice, but more likely they are getting this from fish out of the local rivers, which have known lead issues. Lead poisoning is cumulative, and builds up in humans and animals alike.

If this is from hunters, then there should be many more dead turkey vultures in Fauquier County than eagles.

I find this statement that the hunter is responsible for this issue is not valid, or at least you do not present adequate evidence to support it. I think you need to do more research and write and additional article on this topic.

Although I am not a hunter, I think you are pointing the finger at them needlessly. Be a journalist and do proper due diligence.

Chuck Gould

Warrenton